Mechanical device



A ril 28, 1964 1.. c. IV-IAMMOND MECHANICAL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 31, 1961 9 6 v H .m 2 W I 7 W A A 5 M F s I 6 6 a, a Aw u O a INVENTOR. 455 C. fifiM/WQNQ HTTORNEYS April 28, 1964 L. c. HAMMOND MECHANICAL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 31. 1961 INVENTOR. z 6 C. HHMMO/Vfl HT'TQENEY! Apnl 28, 1964 c. HAMMOND MECHANICAL DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 31, 1961 INVENTOR. 4:5 6', HA'MMOND zamam W a, W 41- firramvsys' United States Patent ()fi ice 3,130,460 Patented Apr. 28, 1964 3,136,460 MECHANICAL DEVICE Lee C. Hammond, Kalamazoo, Mich, assignor to Hammond Machinery Builders, Inc., Kalamazoo, Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed July 31, 1961, Ser. No. 128,147 2 Claims. (Cl. 2280) This invention relates to a device for remelting printers metal and it relates particularly to a combined device adaptable both for handling metal to be discharged into a casting box for casting flat stereotypes and for handling metal to be formed into ingots.

In the printnig trade there are two types of devices for melting printers metal which are related in use but which are sufiiciently different from each other that they have in the past been built and used as separate pieces of equipment. Specifically, one of such devices is the melting pot which is used in association with a casting box for casting flat stereotypes. Said melting pot is usually loaded with larger pieces, which are relatively few in number, such as ingots or no longer needed, fiat, stereotype plates or other cast metal material. The other of such devices is the remelt furnace for remelting small parts for forming them into ingots. It is usually loaded with pieces which are smaller in size but larger in number such as linotype slugs and/ or any associated, small, flat stereotype plates.

The melting pot used with flat stereotype casting boxes, in view of the height of such casting boxes, must be mounted relatively far from the floor so that melted metal can flow by gravity from the melting pot into the casting box. This causes no serious inconvenience because the materials to be placed in the melting pot for melting are usually sufliciently large to be few in number and, hence, can be conveniently handled manually. Thus, a typical melting pot load is normally comprised of used flat stereotype plates and/or, occasionally, one or more ingots, all of which can be picked up by a Workman and put into the melting pot with no particular inconvenience. This is standard practice and has been so for a great many years.

In some instances, in an effort to lower the melting pot for more easy loading of material thereinto, the melting pot has been placed at a lower level and this requires a pump for pumping molten metal from the melting pot to the inlet at the upper edge of the casting box. This, however, involves additional expense and presents certain maintenance problems, mostly with respect to the pump and to the means for heating the pump spout.

For a remelt furnace, on the other hand, the pieces to be remelted, such as linotype slugs, small, fiat stereotype plates and chips from sawing machines are frequently brought from many different places in the printing establishment and in various types of containers, such as small waste trucks, which containers are then usually dumped onto the floor alongside of the remelt furnace. Such materials cannot be readily handled individually by hand but instead are, in the usual practice, handled with a shovel. This requires that the top of the remelt furnace be at a sufficiently low level as to make it feasible to use a shovel for depositing the material thereinto. Thus, the pot holding the molten metal is much too low for discharging molten metal by gravity into a flat stereotype casting box so that such a remelt furnace cannot be used with a fiat stereotype casting box excepting by the use of a pumping mechanism as above mentioned. Further, in many instances, the remelt furnace is too low to permit the placing of an ingot mold underneath the melting zone thereof and, accordingly, such ingot mold is in the most common practice placed at one side of the remelt furnace. This facilitates the loading of the furnace in the manner above mentioned and permits easy discharge of the furnace contents into the ingot mold but requires that the ingot mold occupy floor space alongside of the furnace which is disadvantageous, and sometimes even dangerous.

Therefore, it will be seen that these two types of devices, although duplicating each other in many respects and having been in common use for upwards of fifty years, have been considered so inconsistent with each other as to necessitate the use of either (1) undesirably complex equipment (referring to the pump above mentioned) or, more often, (2) the use of two completely separate pieces of equipment. The use of either of these expedients is more expensive in original cost and maintenance and the use of the second named of these expedients requires at least double the floor space which would be required if only a single unit were used.

Accordingly, the objects of the invention are:

(1) To provide a device adaptable for melting various kinds of parts made of printers metal and discharging molten printers metal by gravity either into a flat stereotype casting box or into ingot molds.

(2) To provide a device, as aforesaid, which utilizes a minimum of floor space.

(3) To provide a device, as aforesaid, which eliminates or at least minimizes the dumping of miscellaneous small metal pieces, such as killed linotype slugs, onto the floor alongside the remelt furnace.

(4) To provide a device, as aforesaid, which as a unit is less expensive than the combined cost of a melting pot for use with a flat stereotype casting box and a remelt furnace for use with ingot molds.

, (5) To provide a device, as aforesaid, which is free from the maintenance problems involved with equipment,

' such as the pumps sometimes utilized for pumping molten I upon reading the following disclosure and inspecting the comprised of. four upright, elongated legs, three of which metal into a flat stereotype casting box.

- (6) To provide a device, as aforesaid, wherein the metal to be melted is loaded into the remelting pot by simple mechanical hoisting and dumping means.

(7) To provide a device, as aforesaid, wherein ingot molds and a flat stereotype casting box may be filled simultaneously if desired.

(8) To provide a device, as aforesaid, wherein the hoist mechanism may be adjusted to enable a single unit of the device to be supplied from a variety of different directions, said directions being taken with respect to the remelting pot.

Other objects and purposes of the invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with this type of equipment accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of an apparatus embodying the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the apparatus shown in FIGURE 1 taken from a different angle.

FIGURE 3 is a view corresponding to a fragment of FIGURE 2' and showing the hopper and elevator frame in a different position.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken along the line VV of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 6 is a sectional view taken along the line VI-VI of FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a sectional View taken along the line VIIVII of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 8 is a sectional view taken along the line VIII-VIH of FIGURE 7.

The apparatus includes a rectangular base frame 11 appear at 12, 13 and 14, respectively. A melting pot housing 16 is supported on the upper ends of said legs. The housing 16 has a three-piece cover, comprised of a stationary piece 17 and two further pieces 18 and 19 which are hingedly connected to each other and to piece 17 so that they may be moved between the position shown in FIGURE 1 wherein the upper end of the melting pot housing is open so that metal may be deposited thereinto and the position shown in FIGURE 2 wherein the upper end of the melting pot housing is closed by the cover. The housing 16 has a melting chamber 26 (FIGURE 1) which, in accordance with conventional practice, is defined by a crucible having heat insulation therearound. An exhaust duct connection 21 is provided in the stationary cover piece 17. Suitable heat-producing means are associated with the housing 16 for heating the contents of chamber 20. In this embodiment of the invention, the melting pot is heated by gas which is supplied by any suitable gas supply system 22.

A pair of cross members 23 and 24 extend between the legs 12 and 13 and between the leg 14 and the fourth leg, respectively, and are afiixed thereto approximately midway between the upper and lower ends thereof. An elongated ingot mold 26 is rotatably supported upon and extends between the cross members 23 and 24 directly below the melting pot housing 16. The mold 26 preferably has a plurality of ingot mold cavities 25 in both the upper and lower faces thereof.

The cross members 23 and 24 are spaced upwardly from the lower ends of the legs 12, 13 and 14 to permit an ingot cart 27 to be moved therebetween and be positioned directly under the mold 26. Thus, after ingots are molded in the mold cavities 25 in one face of the mold 26, said mold is preferably and usually rotated to invert same and the ingots fall into the cart 27. At this time, the mold cavities in the other face of the mold 26 may be filled with molten printers metal.

A suitable valve and movable spout structure 28 is provided for controlling the filling of mold cavities 25, the handle 35 serving to direct metal through the movable spout to the successive mold cavities for filling same. This valve and spout structure 28 may utilize any of many known designs, such as that disclosed in application Serial No. 40,725, filed July 5, 1960, which is assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. Since the present invention is not concerned with the details of the valve and spout construction 28, further description thereof is believed to be unnecessary and will be omitted.

The housing 16 has a discharge pipe and valve arrangement 29 of any suitable type extending through the side wall 30 thereof. A handle 31 is provided for opening and closing the valve thereof to thereby control flow of molten printers metal from the melting pot therethrough. The discharge pipe and valve arrangement 29 is adapted to discharge molten printers metal so that it flows by gravity into the feed opening of the stereotype casting box 32, which feed opening is located at the upper end thereof. The stereotype casting box 32 is supported upon a truck 33 which is positionable closely adjacent the side of the frame 11. The stereotype casting box 32 and the truck 33 are of a conventional type and hence need no detailed description.

An elevator apparatus 41 is provided for loading the melting chamber 20 with printers metal, such as stereotype plates, linotype slugs, etc. The elevator apparatus 41 includes two upright posts 42 and 43 which extend upwardly from the melting pot housing. A plurality of vertically spaced, connecting rods 44, 46, 47 and 48 extend between the posts 42 and 43 and are secured thereto. The rods 46 and 47 are spaced apart a suificient distance to permit the discharge walls 85 of the hereinafter mentioned hopper 83 to extend therebetween.

A substantially triangular plate 49 is mounted adjacent two of its corners on the upper end of posts 42 and 43. A base plate 51 is afiixed, such as by bolting to the legs 4 13 and 14 of the base frame 11 and, in use, rests on the floor on which the apparatus is supported. The elevator 41 includes a substantially rectangular frame 50 comprised of uprights 52 and 53, an upper member 54 and a lower member 56. The upper member 54 is pivotally supported on triangular plate 49 adjacent the third corner thereof. The lower member 56 is afiixed to a circular plate 57 which in turn is pivotally mounted on base plate 51 by any suitable means (not shown). The pivot axes of the circular plate 57 and the upper member 54 are aligned and are vertically disposed so that the frame 50 is supported for pivotal movement about a vertical axis.

Referring to FIGURES 7 and 8, the circular plate 57 has a plurality of notches 61 in the periphery thereof arranged at 90 degree intervals thereon. A detent pin 62 is receivable in one of said notches at a time for releasably locking plate 57 and thereby elevator frame 50 in selected, adjustable positions with respect to the base 11 and the melting pot. The pin 62 is urged toward the plate 57 by a spring 63 one of whose ends engages an abutment 60 on base plate 51. The other end of spring 63 engages a flange 65 on pin 62. An actuator 64 is provided to move the pin away from the plate 57 and out of a notch therein to thereby permit. the elevator frame to rotate. The actuator 64 includes a projection 70 which extends between the flanges 65 and 65a on pin 62. The actuator 64 is mounted on a shaft 66 which is pivotally supported on base plate 51 by any suitable means, such as bearing blocks 75. Said shaft 66 is operated by a foot pedal 68. Thus, by depressing the foot pedal 68, the pin 62 can be withdrawn from a notch so that the elevator frame 50 can be manually rotated into the desired position.

A ramp 69 may be mounted on the base frame either at the end thereof as shown in FIGURE 2 or on the two adjacent sides. This ramp serves to permit the easy movement of the hereinafter-mentioned scrap truck into the hopper 83 of the elevator apparatus. Regardless of the direction from which the hopper 83 is loaded, the frame 50 must be rotated to the position shown in FIGURE 1 wherein the discharge walls 85 of the hopper thereof directs the contents of the scrap truck into the melting pot.

Referring to FIGURES 2, 4, 5 and 6, the uprights 52 and 53 are channel-shaped and a pair of guide elements 71 (FIGURE 4) and 72 (FIGURE 2) are disposed there- A in and are slidable vertically with respect thereto. rod 73 is secured to and extends between the upper ends of guide elements 71 and 72. A chain 74 is secured to the rod 73 approximately midway between the ends thereof and said chain extends upwardly to and through a chain hoist 76 of any suitable type, which chain hoist is mounted on the upper member 54 of the elevator frame 50. The chain hoist 76 here is of an electric type controlled by a switch 77 which is mounted on the upright 52. Thus, the operator, by suitable operation of the switch 77, can effect upward or downward movement of the rod 73 and thereby the guide elements 71 and 72. A guide plate 80 is preferably applied to extend from either side of said switch to protect the operators fingers from being caught by the hopper.

The guide elements 71 and 72 each carry coaxial stub shafts, one of which appears at 78 (FIGURE 4) adjacent their lower ends. Said stub shafts extend through the side walls 81 and 82 of the hopper 83 and are supported therein by bearings and thereby pivotally support the hopper 83 on guide elements 71 and 72. The hopper 83 is adapted to receive a scrap metal truck 84 which may be moved thereinto in the manner previously described. Alternatively, scrap metal may be loaded onto the bottom wall of said hopper.

The hopper 83 has a pair of pins 86 and 87 extending from the side walls 81 and 82 thereof, which pins engage the edges of the side walls of truck 84 and prevent same from falling out of the hopper when the hopper is in its inclined or dumping position as shown in FIGURE 1.

In order to guide the hopper from its upright position as shown in FIGURE 2 to its dumping position as shown in FIGURE 1, and vice versa, a roller guide pin 88, which desirably is an extension in an opposite, or outward, direction of pin 86 and preferably carries a roller sleeve 90 thereon, extends through the side wall 81 of the hopper and is received in a channel 89 (FIGURES 5 and 6) of a guide element 91 which is mounted on the upright 52. The channel 89 has a lower, vertically extending section 89a and an inclined, upper section 89b. Thus, as the rod 73 is raised, the hopper 83 will at first be raised vertically. However, as the roller pin 88 moves through the inclined section 89b in a partially horizontal direction and the guides 71 and 72 continue to lift the base of the hopper upwardly the hopper will pivot about the axis of the stub shafts 78 and assume a generally horizontal direction. The roller pin 88 presently (in the illustrated embodiment) comes out of the track 8% but by this time the hopper is tilted sufficiently that the weight of the hopper, the truck and the contents thereof which are to the left of the axis of shafts 78, as appearing in FIGURES 1 and 2, will exceed the weight of the right of said axis and the hopper will thereupon automatically pivot into its dumping position as shown in FIGURE 1, said pivoting being further assisted by continued upward movement of the base of the hopper, i.e. the stub shafts of which one appears at 78. This will cause the contents of the truck to be dumped into the melting chamber 20.

The molten printers metal in the melting pot may be discharged into the cavities of mold 26 by operation of the valve and spout structure 28. When the ingots in the mold cavities in one face of the mold 26 are solidified, which may be accelerated by cooling the mold with water, the mold can be inverted so that the solidified ingots will drop into the ingot cart 27.

Molten printers metal can be deposited into the feed opening in the upper end of the stereotype casting box 32 by operation of the handle 31. Casts can then be removed firom the casting box 32 for further processing.

Thus, it will be seen that the invention provides an apparatus which is adapted for melting printers metal and depositing same either into a stereotype casting box located at one side of the melting pot or into an ingot mold which is mounted directly below the melting pot. The elevator structure makes it possible to conveniently place scrap metal whether of reasonably large size, such as stereotype plates, or of small size such as linotype slugs and the like, into the melting pot for remelting.

The scrap trucks 84 utilized to bring the scrap metal to be melted to the apparatus of the invention will ordinarily be positioned adjacent to other apparatus where scrap is formed, such as Where forms are killed after use and at or under shaving or sawing machines. When the trucks are filled with scrap material, the same will be moved to the apparatus of the invention, be placed in the hopper and then be raised to deposit their contents into the melting pot. The trucks may then be returned to their sta tions for refilling.

The structure of the invention is particularly characterized by the fact that a single melting pot serves to supply molten metal to both a stereotype casting box and to an ingot mold structure and the elevator serves to make it possible to readily handle metal to be melted, whether of reasonably large size or small.

While a particular preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail hereinabove, the invention contemplates such changes and modifications therein as lie within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination with a melting pot for printers metal, an elevator comprising:

a pair of spaced, upstanding stationary members adjacent said melting pot and extending upwardly thereabove;

a vertically elongated frame comprising a pair of uprights and upper and lower frame members extending between and joining said uprights;

pivot means spaced from and fixed with respect to said upstanding, stationary members and connected to said upper and lower frame members and supporting said frame for pivotal movement about a vertical axis through said upper and lower frame members;

a hopper disposed within said frame and means for effecting vertical movement of said hopper within said frame, said hopper having a bottom wall, an upstanding discharge wall, and a pair of upstanding side walls adjacent said uprights, said hopper being open at the top and at the side opposite the discharge wall thereof for loading of scrap printers metal thereinto;

abutment means mounted on and projecting into said hopper and being spaced from said bottom wall a sufiicient distance to permit a scrap truck to be received therebetween whereby when said discharge wall is in an inclined position, said abutment means will engage the scrap truck to retain same within the hopper while permitting the contents of the scrap truck to be discharged into said melting pot;

guide means for guiding vertical movement of said hopper and mounted on said uprights, said guide means including means for pivoting said hopper in response to said vertical movement and about a horizontal axis through said uprights when said hopper is adjacent the upper end of said melting pot whereby the contents of said hopper can be discharged into said melting pot.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which said abutment means comprises a pair of pins mounted on said side walls adjacent the upper ends thereof and projecting toward each other, said pins being spaced from said discharge wall.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,092,889 Allen Apr. 14, 1914 1,123,914 Mumford Jan. 5, 1915 1,475,636 Lepley Nov. 27, 1923 1,544,166 McKune June 30, 1925 1,697,345 Chaudoir Jan. 1, 1929 2,234,528 Jung Mar. 11, 1941 2,263,880 Jung Nov. 25, 1941 2,888,157 Riley May 26, 1959 2,957,936 Bugge Oct. 25, 1960 

1. IN COMBINATION WITH A MELTING POT FOR PRINTER''S METAL, AN ELEVATOR COMPRISING: A PAIR OF SPACED, UPSTANDING STATIONARY MEMBERS ADJACENT SAID MELTING POT AND EXTENDING UPWARDLY THEREABOVE; A VERTICALLY ELONGATED FRAME COMPRISING A PAIR OF UPRIGHTS AND UPPER AND LOWER FRAME MEMBERS EXTENDING BETWEEN AND JOINING SAID UPRIGHTS; PIVOT MEANS SPACED FROM AND FIXED WITH RESPECT TO SAID UPSTANDING, STATIONARY MEMBERS AND CONNECTED TO SAID UPPER AND LOWER FRAME MEMBERS AND SUPPORTING SAID FRAME FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT ABOUT A VERTICAL AXIS THROUGH SAID UPPER AND LOWER FRAME MEMBERS; A HOPPER DISPOSED WITHIN SAID FRAME AND MEANS FOR EFFECTING VERTICAL MOVEMENT OF SAID HOPPER WITHIN SAID FRAME, SAID HOPPER HAVING A BOTTOM WALL, AN UPSTANDING DISCHARGE WALL, AND A PAIR OF UPSTANDING SIDE WALLS ADJACENT SAID UPRIGHTS, SAID HOPPER BEING OPEN AT THE TOP AND AT THE SIDE OPPOSITE THE DISCHARGE WALL THEREOF FOR LOADING OF SCRAP PRINTER''S METAL THEREINTO; 